By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz said on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI)’s members were ready to jump ship, as Prime Minister Imran Khan and his incumbent government’s “boat was sinking”.
Maryam’s remarks came in conversation with media personnel, where she stated that PM Imran’s party did not have any ideology, or ideologues, or any commitment and that it was evident that the party and its people were sinking.
“I sincerely advise the premier and his party members to wear helmets while in public, or climb atop containers to protect themselves from angry citizens, who are waiting to grab them by their necks,” the PML-N leader remarked.
She claimed that PTI’s parliamentarians were ready to switch allegiances.
Conversely, she said that the PML-N was united under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, despite his inability to return home the PML-N remained strong and stable.
“Meanwhile, Imran Khan gives speeches in frustration as he watches his powers dissipate,” she said.
The PML-N leader further maintained that the people were the priority and that it was the duty of political parties to save the country and the nation from the “torment” being inflicted on them.
“If the opposition does not respond to the voice of the people then political parties will be equally guilty,” she said, reiterating that working for the welfare of the people was their biggest responsibility.
She further “advised” PTI leaders to not support the incumbent government if they wanted to respectfully return to their constituencies.
“The ongoing situation has changed due to terrorism, inflation and public displeasure,” she said.
In response to a question, she claimed that the PTI government was the most corrupt government the country had seen, suggesting the premier tell the people the testimonies “coming in favour” of the PML-N from courts, instead of labelling PML-N leaders “thieves”.
To a question, the PML-N leader responded that the first challenge facing the opposition is the no-confidence motion against the premier. “Who will be the next prime minister is to be decided later,” she added.
No-confidence motion
As the ruling party faces fresh headwinds and political rivals intensify their efforts to oust the ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is poised to move a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan this month.
The opposition party is smoothing out a strategy to bring an in-house change this month to oust the incumbent government, rather than in March or May, as was decided earlier.
Sources privy to the development said the opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif has also hammered out the nitty-gritty of the move while the PML-N supremo, Nawaz Sharif, has also given him the permission to do so.
Currently, the PML-N president is weighing a ‘Plan A’ and ‘Plan B’ for the successful execution of this move, the sources added.
The sources said the possibility of the early no-confidence move comes following the ‘backdoor contact’ the opposition leader has been making with the government’s allies and leaders of other opposition parties to buttress its unified support against the government.
